Raiders OL Trey Zuhn's Potential Impact Hard To Ignore
The Las Vegas Raiders were one of, if not the most active, teams in the entire National Football League during the 2026 NFL Draft. Raiders General Manager John Spytek made multiple trades to move both up and down in the draft, maximizing picks by adding depth on both sides of the ball.
Watch Trey Zuhn III Discuss His First Practices as a Rookie Below
Spytek's Big Moves
The Raiders had no wasted picks in this year's draft, and many of the moves the Raiders' front office made in the draft are tied to each other. This gives them a chance to add even more value to the value they already got by selecting talent at the spots in the draft where they selected them.
Las Vegas had multiple notable moves during the draft, aside from drafting Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall. Trading back two spots from the No. 36 pick, with the Houston Texans, for the No. 38 pick was arguably the most notable one. Las Vegas added the No. 91 overall pick in the draft in that trade.
With the No. 38 pick, the Raiders added a safety regarded by many as a first-round talent, selecting Treydan Stukes. They then selected Zuhn with the No. 91 pick they got in the trade with Houston. Zuhn was one of the best in college football and one of the best linemen available in the draft.
By adding Zuhn and Stukes in moves that coincided with each other, it is nearly impossible for the Raiders to have maximized the No. 36 pick they started the draft with more than they would have by selecting at that spot. The addition of Zuhn could soon significantly impact Las Vegas.
How Zuhn Fits In
The Raiders made several additions to their offensive line this offseason, most notably center Tyler Linderbaum. They also added veteran offensive lineman Spencer Burford and now Zuhn. The rookie offensive lineman can play all five positions along the line.
Like many of the Raiders' rookies, Zuhn is buried on the depth chart behind established veterans. Yet, that will soon change. In the immediate, Zuhn can serve as another reserve option along the offensive line, should the Raiders need it. Until then, he will develop in the background and fight for playing time.
The Raiders have established starters at nearly every position along the line, but next offseason they will have some big decisions to make about the unit. Zuhn gives Las Vegas' front office flexibility as they continue to revamp their entire offensive line. He is a major part of their future.
Zuhn and the rest of the Raiders' rookies took the field together for the Raiders' rookie mini camp. The group began learning how things are done in Las Vegas. The Raiders' front office is excited about Zuhn. They know they got a steal by adding Zuhn to a position of need while maximizing value.
Zuhn has fallen into the perfect situation, as the Raiders will likely need him sooner rather than later. He has an opportunity to set himself up for a long, productive career in the league if he learns quickly and makes the most of the opportunities that are coming his way.
"Started 54 games in the SEC. All he did was block the guy in front of him, it didn't matter who it was, where it was, and obviously they played a lot of really good football this year too. I like that they say that. That's a good staff down there. It's a really good program. And that makes me happy that they would think that way," Spytek said after the second night of the draft while explaining why he thinks Zuhn was the right selection.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/raiders/onsi as Raiders OL Trey Zuhn's Potential Impact Hard To Ignore.
Copyright ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. All Rights Reserved.
This story was originally published May 2, 2026 at 3:48 PM.